Are you as excited for The Crown Season 3 as we are? NETFLIX is yet to announce a release date, but we’re already anticipating to relive the historical royal drama of the House of Windsor. While we eagerly wait, we’ve compiled details of everything we know thus far about the upcoming season, including whether or not Princess Diana will finally be introduced into the story!
Goodbye Claire Foy, Matt Smith and the Rest of the Awesome Cast
Showrunner Peter Morgan has stated that he always intended to replace the entire cast by the end of the second season. He said that it would look silly to try to age his current ensemble, stating that mannerisms change as one gets older. Having said that, we unfortunately have to bid farewell to Claire Foy (The Queen), Matt Smith (The Duke of Edinburgh), John Lithgow (Prime Minister Winston Churchill), and crowd favorite Vanessa Kirby (who plays the rebellious Princess Maragret) who were stellar in the first two seasons. Although it’s sad to see them go, The Crown made us fall in love with these actors, and we can’t wait to see what they do next outside of the show’s hectic schedule. You can see Foy next in La La Land director Damien Chazelle’s upcoming Neil Armstrong biopic First Man, co-starring with Ryan Gosling.
Early this year, it was confirmed that esteemed British actress Olivia Coleman will be taking Foy’s place as Elizabeth II, Tobias Menzies will play Prince Philip, and no other than the famous Helena Bonham Carter will be stepping in as Princess Margaret. With a new company of performers filled with such talent, we’re excited to see them command the screen under Morgan’s prestine writing and direction for season 3.
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“No One Gets Paid Higher Than the Queen”
The #MeToo movement and Harvey Weinstein’s fall in Hollywood shed a lot of light in the filmmaking and television industry, including pay disputes between male and female actors. The Crown was very much in the center a scandal earlier this year, when it was reported that Matt Smith (who found fame in Doctor Who) was being paid more than Claire Foy. Producers argued that Smith’s preserved star power, as being the lead of another hit television show, was the reason he was paid higher. The two leading actors, however, dealt with the publicity with such grace. NETFLIX then announced that moving forward: “No one will be paid higher than the Queen.”
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We Probably Won’t Be Getting Princess Diana till Season 4
The first season of the hit NETFLIX original program covered the early days of Elizabeth II’s reign, while the second covered roughly around the ten-year mark of her reign (the early 1960s, when JFK and Jackie visited England). Although it is unclear where the third season will begin, Variety reports that it might open in 1964, in which the Queen had a royal tour to Canada with rumors of an assassination attempt. There will also be a focus on young Prince Charles and the time he was named the Prince of Wales in 1969. Rumor has it that Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones’ separation might be covered in the third season. We can assume that the cut off would be in 1976, the year they separated. Having said that, we probably won’t be getting the Princess Diana and Prince Charles drama until the fourth season. The two met on November of 1977. Although, if history serves us right, we’ll be seeing Camilla portrayed already next season. Charles reportedly met her at a polo match in 1971 when she was only 16 years old.
It Isn’t Expected to Air Until in 2019
Variety reports that Season 3 and 4 will be shot back to back this summer. So don’t expect the new season to drop on NETFLIX this year. The Crown is one of the most expensive shows to produce, and showrunner Peter Morgan is very into getting every detail perfect. Last February, he told Variety that he was still currently writing Season 3. With the big budget production values and all the necessary planning still underway, the show’s usual holiday release spot is highly unlikely. It’ll probably be out early next year.
